How This Guy Stacks Playing Cards Impossibly High | Obsessed | WIRED

WIRED2 minutes read

Brian Berg, a Harvard-educated designer, builds stable structures using only cards, breaking world records with his grid technique and avoiding gluing or modifications. Berg's creations, like replicas of famous buildings, showcase his architectural background and instinctual design process, with confidence growing through the destruction of his card structures as he views it as a test of structural limits and a way to have fun.

Insights

  • Brian Berg, a Harvard-educated designer, constructs impressive card structures using a grid technique, eschewing glue and pyramids for stability and innovation.
  • Berg's approach to card stacking involves embracing destruction as a test of structural limits, showcasing his confidence in future projects and his unique perspective on the transient nature of his creations.

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Recent questions

  • How does Brian Berg create stable structures?

    Brian Berg creates stable structures out of cards by utilizing squares and right angles instead of pyramids. His primary technique is the grid, which has led to various innovations like columns and walls. Berg's designs are based on his architectural background and instinctual design process, allowing him to build tall structures that can hold bricks and reach dozens of stories high.

  • What notable structures has Brian Berg replicated?

    Brian Berg has replicated structures like the Beijing Olympic Village and the Venetian casino in Macau using over 200,000 cards. These projects took him over 45 days to complete, showcasing his dedication and skill in card-stacking. Despite the complexity of these structures, Berg avoids gluing or modifying cards, relying solely on gravity for alignment, except for a few client requests.

  • How does Brian Berg view the destruction of his creations?

    Brian Berg embraces the destruction of his creations as a test of structural limits and a way to have fun. He sees it as an opportunity to enhance his confidence in future projects, learning from each collapse and improving his techniques. This mindset allows Berg to approach his work with a sense of playfulness and experimentation, rather than being discouraged by the temporary nature of his card structures.

  • What is Brian Berg's approach to building under time constraints?

    When given 10 hours to build, Brian Berg created a rocket structure, showcasing his architectural background and instinctual design process. Despite the time constraints, Berg was able to demonstrate his creativity and skill in card-stacking, highlighting his ability to adapt and innovate under pressure. This approach reflects his confidence in his abilities and his passion for pushing the boundaries of what is possible with card structures.

  • How did Brian Berg start his card-stacking career?

    Brian Berg began his card-stacking career at the age of 8, breaking world records since high school. He achieved feats such as building the tallest house of cards in 12 hours on a spinning washing machine, demonstrating his early talent and dedication to the art of card-stacking. Berg's passion for creating stable structures out of cards has been a lifelong pursuit, leading to numerous achievements and innovative techniques in the field.

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Summary

00:00

Card-stacking architect builds towering structures.

  • Brian Berg, a Harvard-educated designer, creates stable structures out of cards, holding bricks and reaching dozens of stories tall.
  • Berg began his card-stacking career at 8, breaking world records since high school, including the tallest house of cards in 12 hours on a spinning washing machine.
  • Utilizing squares and right angles instead of pyramids, Berg's primary technique is the grid, leading to various innovations like columns and walls.
  • Berg has replicated structures like the Beijing Olympic Village and the Venetian casino in Macau using over 200,000 cards, taking over 45 days to complete.
  • Berg, a card-stacking purist, avoids gluing or modifying cards, relying on gravity for alignment, except for a few client requests.
  • When given 10 hours to build, Berg created a rocket structure, showcasing his architectural background and instinctual design process.
  • Berg embraces the destruction of his creations, viewing it as a test of structural limits and a way to have fun, enhancing his confidence in future projects.
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